Thu, 28 Mar, 2024

Journey of Nepal: From Civil War to Federalism

By Rejina Kattel

Considering and bearing country's current scenario, we people are bowled over and have jingoistic heart thumps more than regular. After the eradication of 240-year-old monarchy system of Nepal and death of 10 years long civil war, Nepal and Nepali people are still apprehensive. Overthrowing the Nepalese monarchy, overcoming caste discrimination and favoritism, eliminating corruption and unwanted entitlements and establishing People’s Republic were the chief memo and endeavor of Nepalese civil war. Finally, war ended with the Comprehensive Peace Accord signed on 21 November 2006.

However, people dogged up nonentity; insurgency did not end with people’s wellbeing and safety. Poor are still poor, illiterate are still illiterate, autocrats and so called swanky are still dominating commoner to the fullest, missing people are still mysterious and still people are living in rigid era. Political flux still turns out to be the major hitch. Post-war transition chapters have lengthened to a point far from expected and situation is degrading day by day, with poverty mounting and country's GDP diminishing. Throughout the epoch of 10 years, protracted civil war’s death toll was nearly about 13,000 and more than a million people are still affected. We cannot see sign of development; it might be somewhere far-flung. All we can see is people's agony and torment. Everyone seems to be frustrated anticipating country's future.

  Unrelenting political flux impedes growth initiatives in Nepal and can devastate civilization challenges; this is because of the continuous grudge among Nepal's biggest political parties- Nepali congress (NC), The Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) and the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M). Prime Minister has supremacy to create a sturdy government with enforcement of laws for maintaining peace and order. However, the payers of Machiavellian Politics quaver the position and the result is the hill down of the government and again, fights for some following years.

We also had a phase of 7-Prime Ministers within the period of 5-years. A true nationalistic and loyal man, who wants to devote for country, turns into a shuttlecock with this competition for position. These are the very things that cause us to have mercy on our country. There is deficiency of buoyancy.

Current politics of Nepal function within scaffold of republic with a multi-party system. Prime minister and his cabinet exercise executive power of country, whereas legislative power is vested in the Constituent Assembly. However, the whole universe knows that the Constituent Assembly (CA) of Nepal had been unable to come up with the constitution within the specified period of two-years. The duration of CA was lengthening repeatedly for two more years with the commendation of government.  At last, the procedure illustrated halted after Supreme Court bestowed the decree that CA could not lengthen time in case CA botched to draft constitution within 6 months. Hence, the first Constitutional Assembly election held after the Comprehensive Peace Accord was dissolved in June 2012 without making Constitution and the second Constitutional Assembly election was held in November 2013.  Now, after more than a year past the second CA election, we finally have a draft of Constitution that is being discussed upon.

To sum up, if we dip deep down into history (key events) since 1768, we can see that there have been many difficulties; however, every time, the native Nepalese are the ones to suffer. Our ancestors rarely lived a prosperous life with stable political condition and we are living through similar instability. We are still dubious on when this transition stage will end and we will be able to pave a new way with stability, peace and order.

This is the country where Royal massacre held before 14- years is still a mystery. How can we hope for commoner justice?  Whatever happens, however big revolution might take position, poor public undergo pain. We all have more or less idea about the income of Nepal government. Foreign aid makes up more than 60 percent of the budget. In addition, more than half of the budget is proposed for revenue expenditure; it means our country does not have vision for sustainable development. We do not have privatization procedure for development work and government does not take initiatives in these factors. With all these, how can we imagine our country with well-equipped infrastructure? Nepal and Nepali citizens have been walking through dark lanes all these eras and no one can foretell when all these shall approach to an end.

People of Nepal are looking forward to a stable civil system with high hopes. However, if the current situation does not end, the functions of the country will be paralyzed. We should all remember our nation’s motto “Janine Janma-bhoomi-scha Swargadapi Gariyasi” which means “Mother and motherland are more than heaven” by heart and should work hard.

Only the coming days will complete the story.